Nanoparticle compositions and methods for treating or preventing tissue infections and diseases

Abstract

Stabilized multi-component antimicrobial compositions for treating tissue diseases, infections or conditions include a first and second set of differently sized and/or differently shaped metal nanoparticles, and a stabilizing agent. Compositions and treatment methods may be used for treating tissue diseases, infections or conditions caused by microbial infections, such as bacteria, viral, and/or fungal infections, or for preventing the infection of a wound, such as a cut, abrasion, ulcer, lesion, sore, and the like. The compositions and treatment methods disclosed herein may also be used as a prophylactic, and in some embodiments may be applied to otherwise healthy tissue in order to prevent or reduce the occurrence of a tissue disease, infection or condition.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of treating a disease, condition, or infection on or in dermal tissue of a patient, comprising:
 applying a treatment composition to the dermal tissue of a patient in need thereof, the treatment composition comprising:
 a carrier, 
 spherical nanoparticles that are made by laser ablation, are uncoated and nonionic with no external bond angles or edges, and have a mean diameter and particle size distribution such that at least 99% of the spherical nanoparticles have a diameter within 30% of the mean diameter and within ±3 nm of the mean diameter, 
 coral-shaped metal nanoparticles each having a non-uniform cross section and a globular structure with multiple non-linear strands joined together without right angles, the coral-shaped nanoparticles consisting of particles that together provide a mean length and a size distribution where at least 99% of the particles have a length within 30% of the mean length, 
 wherein the spherical nanoparticles and coral-shaped nanoparticles are each independently formed from at least one metal selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, silver, palladium, rhodium, osmium, ruthenium, rhodium, rhenium, molybdenum, copper, iron, nickel, tin, beryllium, cobalt, antimony, chromium, manganese, zirconium, tin, zinc, tungsten, titanium, vanadium, lanthanum, cerium, heterogeneous mixtures thereof, and alloys thereof; and 
 
 the treatment composition treating the disease, condition, or infection on or in the dermal tissue of the patient without release of metal ions from the spherical nanoparticles and without toxicity to the patient. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disease, condition, or infection comprises a wound, cut, sore, ulcer, abrasion, or lesion. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 identifying a virus as a target microbe associated with the disease, condition, or infection on or in the dermal tissue of the patient; and 
 selecting nanoparticles having a size that maximizes effectiveness in deactivating the virus, the selected nanoparticles having a particle size in a range of about 1 nm to about 7 nm. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 identifying bacteria as a target microbe associated with the disease, condition, or infection on or in the dermal tissue of the patient; and 
 selecting nanoparticles having a size that maximizes effectiveness in killing the bacteria, the selected nanoparticles having a particle size in a range of about 7 nm to about 12 nm. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 identifying a fungus as a target microbe associated with the disease, condition, or infection on or in the dermal tissue of the patient; and 
 selecting nanoparticles having a size that maximizes effectiveness in killing the fungus, the selected nanoparticles having a particle size in a range of about 12 nm to about 18 nm. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spherical nanoparticles comprise nonionic silver nanoparticles in which at least 99% of the silver nanoparticles have a diameter within 20% of the mean diameter and within ±2 nm of the mean diameter, wherein the nonionic silver nanoparticles have a ξ-potential with an absolute value of at least about 30 mV. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coral-shaped nanoparticles have a ξ-potential with an absolute value of at least about 30 mV such that the coral-shaped nanoparticles are resistant to agglomeration when dispersed in solution. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment composition further comprises a natural-based polyphenol. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a solvent carrier formed of one or more of water and alcohol. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disease, condition, or infection is located on or in the face of the patient, the method comprising applying the treatment composition to the face of the patient. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the disease, condition, or infection includes acne and wherein the treatment composition treats the acne without releasing metal ions from the spherical nanoparticles. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disease, condition, or infection is located on or in the lips of the patient, the method comprising applying the treatment composition to the lips of the patient. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the disease, condition, or infection includes herpes sores and wherein the treatment composition treats the herpes sores without releasing metal ions from the spherical nanoparticles. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disease, condition, or infection is located in dermal tissue infected with methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus  (MRSA) or that is at risk of becoming infected with MRSA. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein administering comprises applying the treatment composition onto or into a treatment area affected by a wound, sore, lesion, abscess, or surgical site, or to a treatment area as preparation for a surgical procedure, and the treatment composition killing or deactivating methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus  (MRSA) coming into contact with the treatment area without releasing metal ions from the spherical nanoparticles. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spherical nanoparticles are included at a concentration of about 0.5 ppm to about 100 ppm. 
     
     
       17. A method of treating a disease, condition, or infection on or in dermal tissue of a patient, comprising:
 applying a treatment composition to the dermal tissue of a patient in need thereof, the treatment composition comprising:
 a carrier, 
 spherical silver nanoparticles, wherein the spherical silver nanoparticles are made by laser ablation, are uncoated and nonionic with no external bond angles or edges, and have a mean diameter and particle size distribution such that at least 99% of the spherical silver nanoparticles have a diameter within 30% of the mean diameter and within ±3 nm of the mean diameter, and 
 coral-shaped gold nanoparticles each having a non-uniform cross section and a globular structure with multiple non-linear strands joined together without right angles, wherein the coral-shaped gold nanoparticles are made by laser ablation, are uncoated and nonionic, and wherein the coral-shaped nanoparticles consist of particles that together provide a mean particle size and particle size distribution such that at least 99% of the coral-shaped gold nanoparticles have a particle size within 30% of the mean particle size, 
 wherein the silver nanoparticles and the gold nanoparticles have a ξ-potential with an absolute value of at least about 30 mV; and 
 
 the treatment composition treating the disease, condition, or infection on or in the dermal tissue of the patient without release of silver ions from the silver nanoparticles, without release of gold ions from the gold nanoparticles, and without toxicity to the patient. 
 
     
     
       18. A method of treating a disease, condition, or infection on or in dermal tissue of a patient, comprising:
 applying a treatment composition to the dermal tissue of a patient in need thereof, the treatment composition comprising:
 a carrier, 
 spherical-shaped metal nanoparticles, and 
 coral-shaped metal nanoparticles each having a non-uniform cross section and a globular structure with multiple non-linear strands joined together without right angles, the coral-shaped nanoparticles consisting of particles that together provide a mean length with at least 99% of the particles having a length within 30% of the mean length, 
 
 the treatment composition treating the disease, condition, or infection on or in the dermal tissue of the patient. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the mean length of the coral-shaped nanoparticles is in a range of about 15 nm to about 100 nm. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the coral-shaped nanoparticles have a potential with an absolute value of at least about 30 mV such that the coral-shaped nanoparticles are resistant to agglomeration when dispersed in solution. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mean length of the coral-shaped nanoparticles is in a range of about 15 nm to about 100 nm.